


The Science of Choosing a Christmas Tree

by xswestallen



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Tree, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 01:04:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12876879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xswestallen/pseuds/xswestallen
Summary: Barry is the best at picking out Christmas trees.





	The Science of Choosing a Christmas Tree

Joe West hates artificial Christmas trees. "They don't have that good Christmas smell or authentic Christmas spirit." Joe would always say. When he was a child, every year his parents took him to chop down their own Christmas tree at a farm, and those memories are some of his favorites. When Iris was born, he made it a tradition to take her to the Christmas tree farm and let her pick out the tree. Iris never lost her childlike love of decorated their tree every December.

Barry on the other hand, never decorated a real Christmas tree until he was eleven years old. The Allen family always bought fake trees. His parents considered them the better choice because they were cheaper, could be used year after years, came pre-lit, and weren't a fire hazard. After Barry's mom died, he was dreading Christmas.

The pain of losing his mother and, in a way, his father stung particularly hard on holidays. He perked up a bit when Joe and Iris announced they were going to the Christmas tree farm to chose their tree. Barry heard is first lecture from Joe on why real trees are infinitely better, which became an annual tradition. When they arrived at the tree farm, Barry was in awe of the rows and rows of evergreens. The smell was intoxicating. Iris happily skipped along the rows, examining each tree.

Iris explained the parameters for selecting a Christmas tree. "We have to get one that's big enough for all the ornaments. But, it can't be too big that it won't fit in the corner by the fireplace. Oh, and we have to have for the star to go on top without it hitting the ceiling."

Barry searched the farm till he found a tree he thought would be perfect. He was eager to show Joe and Iris. When Barry called them over, Iris looked skeptical.

"Are the ends of the branches sticky?" she asked.

Barry touched his finger to the tree and felt the stickiness of the sap. He guided Iris's finger to a branch and said "Feel for yourself."

"Did you check to see if it's fresh by breaking one of the nettle with your hand?"

"Yep." Barry broke another in front of her for good measure.

"I think this looks like a good one." Joe said.

Iris narrowed her eyes as she walked around the tree, looking for any flaw. "I'm not sure." she said.

"Why not, baby?" Joe asked.

"It's just like what you described." Barry reminded her

Once Iris made three or four rounds around the tree, she conceded. "I guess it's a good one."

Barry watched Joe cut down the tree with his axe. They drove from the county farm all the way back to Central City with the tree tied to the roof of the car. Barry was nervous it would fall. He spent the ride constantly sticking his head out the window to check and make sure the tree was still securely fastened to the roof. When they got the tree in the house, Barry and Iris immediately strung lights in it and started putting on the ornaments.

When it was finished, they admired the tree's beauty.

"Ok, this is a perfect tree." Iris admitted.

"I told you." Barry said with a smug smile.

"You've really never had a real tree?"

Barry shook his head. "Never."

"Well," Iris clapped a hand onto his shoulder. "You've got a natural gift then. I didn't think a rookie could pick out such a good tree."

"Thanks for the compliment, but it doesn't take that much skill."

"Are you nuts? It takes so much skill!" Iris insisted. "You have to consider where the tree will be placed, what it will look like decorated, how long it will live for, how much the trunk should will need to be cut off, make sure there are no bird's nests in it, check if the branches are evenly distributed. There is so much you have to know. It's a science!"

Barry laughed. "A science?"

"Yes." Iris said, defensively. "In fact, that's probably why you're good at picking trees, because it's science."

From that year forward, Barry was always the person to chose the Christmas tree. He took the duty of living up to the Iris and Joe's high expectation very seriously. His selections never disappointed. 

* * *

 

Barry and Iris were both looking forward to their first Christmas as husband and wife, as well as their first official Christmas in their loft. To celebrate, Barry wanted to get the best Christmas tree of all time. He sped to several different farms so he could look at every possible tree. When he finally found the tree Cisco would deem, "Griswold worthy", he knew it was the one. Barry envisioned it in the center of the living room, fully decorated and lights twinkling while he and Iris cuddled on the couch.

Iris was baking gingerbread in the loft when she got a call from Barry.

"Hey Bear." Iris said.

"Hey, Iris." Barry replied. "Umm... Could you open the big window in the living room?"

Iris was confused by the request. "It's 20 degrees outside."

"Just for a second, please."

"Ok..." Iris walked over and opened the window like Barry asked.

There was a cold breeze and in a fraction of a second, Barry was standing in the loft with the biggest Christmas tree Iris had ever seen.

"TA DA!" Barry sang.

Iris laughed. "This is our Christmas tree?"

"Yeah. I wanted to get a really great one this year to make it special."

Iris walked around the tree. "It must be 8 feet around!" Iris observed.

Barry nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "I kinda forgot about getting it through the front door, so I had to run it up the side of the building."

Iris laughed even harder. "I'm glad we got a place with big windows."

"What do you think of it?"

Iris felt the branch tips and noted the stickiness. She snapped a nettle and saw that it was a fresh tree. "Barry Allen, you've done it again."

Barry smiled. "What can I say, I know science."

Iris closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of the tree. "Mmmm." she whispered. "It's perfect."

Barry kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you like it." he said.

"I love it." Iris turned from the tree to look at Barry. She put her arms around him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"That reminds me! I already having something to put under the tree." Iris hurried away to the bedroom and returned with a wrapped gift. She placed it under the tree before point and saying, "No peeking!"

Barry held up his hands. "Hey, just give me one of those cookies over there and I'm good."

Iris smirked. "After, we get the lights and ornaments on."


End file.
